Name-dropping

Published: September 29, 2005 12:00 AM

Wonder how our local judges would handle this one?The other day in West Chester, Pa., a court-appointed defense lawyer asked a judge to bar any references to his client's nickname in his trial.According to an Associated Press report, Demetrius Fiorentino, 31, is charged with the shooting death of another man during a drug deal gone bad.Oh, yeah, Fiorentino's nickname is "Scuz."Taking the definition of scuzzball "an unpleasant, dirty or dangerous person; creep" and scuzzy "dirty, shabby or foul ..." into consideration, the defense attorney thinks too many mentions of "Scuz" in the courtroom would unduly influence members of the jury.The assistant district attorney claims it would be nearly impossible to avoid the "Scuz" factor, saying "witnesses are going to have to call him by the name they know."What to do? Altogether now, Scuz, Scuz, Bo Buz, Banana Fanna Foe Fuz, Fee, Fie, Moe Muz, Scuz.Give the jurors some credit.